Lawrenceville, Ga. linebacker Trey Johnson, a 2013 prospect from Central Gwinnett High School, has seen his list of offers grow substantially in the past couple weeks, and he added one more on Monday when the University of Alabama extended an offer.

"It was a big deal," Johnson said. "I was kind of surprised. I was really happy to hear about the offer. I had really been waiting for it. It just makes you stop and take everything one step at a time. I'll probably go out there and see them and see what they're talking about."

Johnson and his head coach Todd Wofford called Alabama on Monday and talked directly with UA head coach Nick Saban, who extended the offer.

"He was just telling us about the program, how good the program is, about the number of players taken in the draft, and how they really want me to come up to the school and see how it is there," Johnson said.

"I think he has to be a great coach with the number of players he's put in the NFL and how well the team has done as a whole and especially their defense. He's a really phenomenal coach."

In addition to Alabama, Johnson also picked up offers from Louisville and Kentucky on Monday, bringing his list of offers to 13. His list includes seven offers from seven SEC schools, as well as Florida State and USC.

It's early in the process, but the 6-foot-1, 208-pound linebacker is looking for a style of defense that fits his game.

"The number one thing would have to be academics, and second to that would be the defense they run and how well the defense fits into the type of linebacker I am," he said.

Last year, Wofford took over as head coach at Central Gwinnett High School, changed the defense to a 3-4 scheme and moved Johnson from defensive end to inside linebacker, where he thrived as a sophomore.

"He's picked it up so quick, just the ins and outs of playing inside linebacker," Wofford said. "He's one of the leaders of the whole team.

"I actually told Coach Saban it's odd that a kid, who is just a sophomore, would run a team full of juniors and seniors, but they respect him. They see the way he plays, and nobody is going to really try to question him."

Last year, Johnson recorded 152 tackles, 21 1/2 tackles for loss and seven sacks at his new position. The 2013 prospect enjoys playing linebacker and likes the new 3-4 defense.

"Right now, it seems like a good defense," Johnson said. "That's what they're running in college and at the next level. It's good to play that in high school, too."

Johnson visited Tuscaloosa earlier this year for one of the Crimson Tide's junior days and wants to come back this summer for Alabama's camp.